David Daehnke
Mahwah, New Jersey 07430
http://Gardeningguru.tripod.com
gardeningguru@juno.com
Here to help the experienced as well
as the novice gardener.

NEW VARIETIES FOR 2001

Gardeners are looking for new plants every year. Here are new flowers and vegetables that will be featured in 2001 mail order seed catalogs, seed packets or as bedding plants at garden centers. The varieties are listed alphabetically by class, with the seed source listed in parentheses after the description. The designation "R" means a retail seed company from which gardeners may purchase seed directly by mail order or also in stores that carry the variety in seed packets. A "W" designation indicates a wholesale seed company which does not sell directly to home gardeners, but these varieties should be available in catalogs or as bedding plants at garden centers next spring.

Cheiranthus 'Charity Yellow' * A truly exceptional wallflower that does not require vernalization to flower. It is perfect for fall, winter and spring. The Charity Series is grown like dwarf stock. Available in scarlet, yellow, cream yellow, rose red and mix. (American Takii) W

Dianthus 'Bouquet Purple' * This beauty looks great in garden beds and makes a terrific cutflower, too. Tall and strong-stemmed plants have an open lacy look and soft fragrance. Each "cut and come again" plant pops with a bouquet of soft lavender flowers all summer long.
(Pan American Seed) W

Pansy F1 'Dynamite Blue w/blotch' * Sakata's new annual blooming pansy, the large flowered 'Dynamite' series, will bloom continuously and maintain a compact habit from fall through early spring. 'Dynamites' blooming power is superior under the short days and cold temperatures of winter and early spring. (Sakata) W

Pansy F1 'Fama® Spanish Eyes' * Large flowered 'Fama® Spanish Eyes' is a beauty with a pleasing deep purple eye in stunning contrast with the bright white bloom. In cool weather the white will blush to a lovely light shade of purple. (Benary) W

Pansy F1 'Maxim Supreme Cream' * The annual 'Maxim Supreme' will bloom continuously and maintain a compact habit from fall through early spring. Growers can sow later in the season (skipping the heat associated with July and August) and still have early flowering pansies. (Sakata) W

Pansy 'Nature Rose' * The Nature Series is compact and blooms early to enhance vibrant colors in landscape design. Prolific in flowering, a mini-pansy that is hardy like a viola. Excellent for fall and spring. Available in Beacon, Ocean, Rose, Yellow, Blue, Pink Shades, White and Mix. (American Takii) W

Pansy F1 'Ultima Baron Red and Baron Purple' * Sakata offers two new colors, Red and Purple, to the attractive and unusual Ultima Baron series. Ultima Baron's are medium in flower size (2.5-inches) with abundant flowers and a compact habit. With early flowering potential, this series is ideal for spring and fall. (Sakata) W

Pepper, Ornamental 'Explosive Ember' * Three new 'Explosive' varieties are ideal for pot or landscape. 'Ember' offers deep purple foliage and flowers with conical fruits that mature from purple to deep red. 'Ignite' offers a prostrate, spreading habit with long, narrow fruits maturing from ivory to yellow-green to bright orange-red. 'Blast' is compact with clusters of conical fruit on top of the plant, maturing from yellow-green to red. (Novartis) W

Petunia F1 'Kahuna White' * The first white spreading petunia from seed, displays an abundance of large, luminous white flowers all over this slightly upright plant. Perfect for the landscape, it reaches a height of 12 to 24" and a spread up to 3.5 feet for magnificent color. (Novartis) W

Sunflower 'Ring of Fire' * AAS Flower Award Winner is a 5-inch sunflower having golden petal edges and a ring of red surrounding the chocolate brown center. May require 120 days to show bicolor blooms, but this late season display is often what the garden needs for a fresh new look. Plants may reach 4 to 5 feet tall, spreading 2 to 3 feet. Perfect for cut flowers. (Benary) W

Zinnia 'Profusion White' * AAS Gold Medal & Flower Award Winner captured the AAS Gold Medal as a breeding breakthrough due to the ease of growing and length of the flowering season. This is the only white Zinnia with 2.5-inch single daisy-like flowers and proven disease resistance. The plant resists powdery mildew allowing it to flower profusely in the fall when other zinnias deteriorate from mildew. Plants spread 12-24 inches in a full sun garden. No pinching or pruning is needed. (Sakata) W

Carrot 'Nutri-Red' * This healthful new cooking carrot, 'Nutri-Red', contains about the same amount of the cancer-fighting antioxidant, lycopene, as tomatoes by weight. 'Nutri-Red' is a novel home garden carrot because it turns a deeper red when cooked. It is tapered, grows to about 9-inches, and matures in 76 days. (Seminis) W

Onion F1 'Super Star' * AAS Vegetable Award Winner is an improved white sweet onion recommended for all spring gardens in North America because it is day length neutral. Mild, sweet 'Super Star' onions are exceptional when eaten raw. 'Super Star' onions can weigh one pound or more, when mature in about 100 days. Resistant to pink root. (Seminis) W

Pepper F1 'Fooled You' * Just when you've braced for another hot pepper, 'Fooled You,' hybrid pepper, turns out to be non-pungent while retaining its great taste. This fruit looks like normal jalapenos except that it is larger, measuring about 3.25 inches long. Plants grow about 27 inches tall. (Seminis) W

Pepper F1 'Giant Marconi' * AAS Vegetable Award Winner is an improved Italian grilling pepper. About 6 to 8 inches long, the tapered green pepper will mature to red on the 30-inch plant. 'Giant Marconi' tastes excellent raw but is best when grilled. It has a memorable sweet, smoky flavor. Plants are resistant to Potato Virus Y and Tobacco Mosaic Virus. Harvest about 72 days from transplanting. (Seminis) W

Squash F1 'Tigress' * 'Tigress' is an early maturing hybrid with smooth, medium green fruit that closely resembles very popular Zucchini 'Elite'. With tolerance to Zucchini Yellows Mosaic and Watermelon Mosaic II Virus the plant will yield late into the season. (Harris Seeds) R

Tomato F1 'Granny Smith' * Here is a new surprise tomato - 'Granny Smith' fruits ripen with plenty of flavor without ever turning red. Instead, they develop good sugars and acids, and taste better than any "green" tomato. Matures in 72 days and disease resistance includes V1, F1, St, and ASC. (Seminis) W